Warm-air furnace



June 12, 1928.

1,673,072 G. T. HOUGHTBY WARM AIR FURNACE Filed Aug. 28, 1926 3Sheets-Sheet l June 12, 1928. 1,673,072

' G. T. HOUGHTBY I WARM AIR FURNACE Filed Aug. 28. 1925 a Sheets-$heet 216' 13 I 14 12 J3 J6 I 1- I 9 if :5 11

J 4 $060k! J 7 4 June 12, 1928. 1,673,072

G. T. HOUGHTBY WARM AIR FURNACE Filed Aug. 28, 1926 I 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 I13 I 12 15 15 I E I I I j] U 28 j f Patented June 12, 1928.

UNITED STATES LGBMZ PATENT OFFICE.

WARM-AIR FURNACE.

Application filed August 28, 1926. Serial No. 132,241.

The object of my invention is to so con struct a warm air furnace thatits heating efficiency will be materially increased, and this object isattained (a) By thedistribution of the warm air equally to all theleaders; and

(b) By the control of the air currents through the free air space.

In carrying out the invention the furnace is provided with va metalpartition for dividing the free air space into two vertical channels.One of these channels is between the partition and the fire box,combustion chamber, and radiator, and the other is between the partitionand easing. Both of the chanenls may be connected, independently of eachother, with the air intake and leaders, or one may be connected throughthe other with the air intake and leaders.

The partition is heated by radiation from the fire box, combustionchamber and radiator, and the air passing through the outer channel, i.e. the channel between the. partition and casing, takes up the heat fromthe partition and serves to insulate the casing from the fire box,combustion chamber and radiator, the degree of insulation being more orless dependent on the velocity of the air current passingthrough thischannel. The

air passing through the other or inner channel takes up the heat fromthe partition, fire box, combustion chamber, and radiator.

The furnace is also provided with a fan chamber, which communicates withthe free air space and with the leaders. and a fan within the fanchamber for accelerating the velocity of the air currents passingthrough the free air space and distributing the air equally to all theleaders. The fan chamher is constructed with deflectors for preventingthe rotation of the air in the fan chamber and causing the air pressureto build up as the fan revolves, so that this pressure will force theair through the lead ers to the registers.

For an understanding of the invention reference is to be had to thefollowing description and to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig, 1 is a vertical section of a warm air furnace constructed accordingto my invention, showing the partition for dividing the free air spaceinto two channels, and the fan chamber and fan set within the casinghood,

Fig. 2 is a vertical section showing the fan chamber and fan locatedabove the hood,

and the air intakes at the bottom of the furnace,

Fig. 3 is a vertical section showing the air intakes at the to of thefurnace,

Fig. 4 is an en arged sectional detail View showmg the fan chamber and apulley driven fan,

Fig. 5 is a similar view to Fig. 4 showmg a motor driven fan,

Fig. 6 is a horizontal section through the fan chamber shown in Figs. 1and 2, and

Fig. 7 is a horizontal section through the fan chamber shown in Fig. 3.

Like characters of reference refer to like parts throughout thespecification and draw- The fire box 1., combustion chamber 2, radiator3, and the casing 4, enclosing these parts and provided with air intakesand leaders, may be similar to corresponding parts of any of the usualtypes of warm air furnaces, and these constitute no part of my presentinvention.

Between the casing and the fire box, combustion chamber and radiator isthe free air space and within the furnace is a partition 5 between, andspaced from, the casing and the fire box, combustion chamber andradiator, which divides the free air space into two vertical channels 6and 7. In the furnace shown in Figs. 1 and 2 the air intakes 8 are atthe bottom of the casing, the partition 5 encloses the fire box,combustion chamber and radiator and extends to approximately the middleof the air intakes 8, and the bafiies 10 extend from the bottom of thepartition into the air intakes to separate the air into two currents oneof which flows through the outer channel 7 and the other of which flowsthrough the inner channel 6. The hood 9 is constructed with the usualleaders 11 and the air flowing through the outer channel 7 has a directpassage from the air intakes 8 to the leaders, while the air flowingthrough the inner channel 6 has a passage through the fan chamber 12 tothe leaders. The partition 5 is of conductive metal and is heated bydirect radiation from the fire box, combustion chamber and radiator. Theair passing through the outer channel 7 takes up some of the heat fromthe partition 5, an the air passing through the inner channel 6 alsotakes upv some of the heat from the partition 5 and from the fire box 1,combustion chamber 2 and radiator 3.

The furnace shown in Fig. 1' is construct-I The furnace shown in Fig. 2is constructed with the fan chgmber 12 above the hood and a fan withinthe fan chamber. a The fan I chamber shown in Figs. 1 and 2 communicates with the air channel 6 and the rotation of the fan 13 creates asuction in the fan l5 chamber which accelerates the velocity of the aircurrents passing throughthis channe The fan chamber, as shown in Fig. 6,is provided with a plurality of deflector blades 16 radially arrangedand evenly spaced around the fan chamber. Th se blades extend from therotational pat of the fan part way to the wall of the fan chamber forretarding the rotary circulation of the air in the fan chamber, duringthe revolution of the fan, and causing the pressure in the fan chamberto build u as the fan revolves and this pressure equal l all the leaders11 and forces it to the warm .80,air registers. L

' In "Fig.3 the air intakes 17 are shown to be in the vicinity of thehood 9' and the air entering these intakes passes downward- 1y throughthe outer'channel 7 around the bottom of the partition wall 5 andupward- 1 through the inner channel 6 'to the fan chamber 18. The fanchamber 18 in the construction shown in Fig. 7, is provided with leaders19 tangential to-its circumference and each of these leaders has anadjustable damper 20 whichcan be opened and closed ate-will to controlthe circulation of the air from the fan chamber to the leader. Theheated air from the channel 6 is drawn or sucked into the fan chambershown in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4 and forced under pressure into the leaders19 through. which it rapidly flows to the'warm air registers, and

in the constructions shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the air from the channels7\ combines with the air from the channels 6 as it enters the leadersand is carried under pressure to the registers. 1 3

The partition 5 is provided with apertures 26 below'the fan chamber andthe suction created by the fan draws part of the air current from thechannel 7 into the channel 6 as the air flows upwardlythrough'the latterchannel to the fan chamber. These so apertures are controlled by anadjustable (damper 27 and a handle 28 is connected with the damper 27 toadjust it' for controlling the apertures. 7

When] the furnace is to operate on the gravity system the partition willbe used y distributes the air to' .zeenimunicating' with the inner todivide the free air space into wo channels as above described but the anwill be omitted and when it is desired ,to use the fan for distributingthe air equally to all the leaders in a suction and pressure system,

the entire free. air space may be heated by combustion chamber, and reiator, and a casing enclosing them, provided with air in takesandleaders, the combination of a artition between the casing and thefire x, combustion chamber and radiator for dividing the free air spaceof the furnace into two air channels, the outer air channel be ingbetween the partition and the casing and communicating directly with theleaders;

and the inner air channel be-ingbetween the er and radiator, a fanchamber above the free air space of the furnace, communicating with theinner air channel and the leaders, a fan within the fan. chamber forsucking the Eartition and the firebox, combustion cham- 00 air throughthe inneraircliannel and fore ing it through the fan chamber to the leaders and accelerating the velocity of the air s 1 passing throughbothchannels of the free air space and efl'ecting its equal distributionto all of the leaders, and means forcausing the air pressure to build upwithin'the fan chamber as the fan rotates.

2. In a furnace comprising a fire box, combustion chamber, and radiator,and a casing enclosing them providedwith air intakes and leaders, thecombination of a fan chamber communicating with the free air. space ofthe'furnace and the leaders a fan with in the fan chamber foracceleratmg the velocity of. the air passing through; the free air spaceand distributing it ually to all the leaders, and deflectors within thefan chamber for reventing the rotation of, the air with the an andcausing the pressure to build up as the fan rotates.

3. In a furnace comprisin a fire box, combustion chamber, and ra iator,and a casing enclosin them, provided with air intakes and lea ers, thecombination of'a ggrtition between the casing and the fire x, combustionchamber and radiator for dividing the free air space of the furnace into.two air channels, the outer air channel bein between the partition andthecasing an communicating, directly with the leaders, and the inner airchannel being between the partition and .the fire box, combustionchamber and radiator, a fanchambar above the free air space of thefurnace, air channel and he leaders, a fan within the'fan chamher forsucking the air through the inner air channel and forcing it through thefan chamber to the leaders and accelerating the velocity of the airpassing through both channels of the free air space and etfecting itsequal distribution to all of the leaders, apertures through thepartition in. the vicinity of the fan chamber for establishingcommunication between the inner and outer air channels near the upperend of the free air space, and means for causing the air pressure tobuild up within the fan chamber as the fan rotates.

4. In a furnace comprising a fire box, combustion chamber, and radiator,and a casing, enclosing them and provided with air intakes and leaders,the combination of a partition between the casing and the fire 'box,combustion chamber, and radiator, for

dividing the free air space into two air channels communicating with theair intakes and leaders, a fan chamber communicating with the airchannels and with the leaders, a fan within the'fan chamber foracceleratin the velocity of the air currents through t e channels anddistributing it equally .to all the leaders, and means for causing theair pressure to build up within the fan chamber as the fan rotates.

5. In a furnace comprising a fire box, combustion chamber, and radiatorand a casing, enclosin them and provided with air intakes and eaders,the combination of a partition between the casin and the fire box,combustion chamber, an radiator, for

dividing the-free air space into two air channels communicating w1th theair intakes and leaders, a fan chamber communicatin with the free airspace of the furnace an with the leaders, a fan within the fan chamberfor accelerating the velocity of the air currents through the channelsand distributing it equall to all the leaders, and deflectors within t efan chamber for preventing the rotation of the air with the fan andcausing the pressure to build up as the fan rotates.

6. A furnace comprising means for heating a current of air, a fan andfan chamber above the heating means for accelerating its velocitythrough the free air space of the furnace, and means for retarding therotation of the air within the fan chamber and causing the pressure tobuild up as the fan rotates for increasing the velocity head of the airthrough the outlets.

7. A furnace as claimed in claim 6 in which the free air space isdivided into two air channels by a partition surrounding the heatingmeans one of which is in circulation with the outlets through the fanchamber and the other of which is in direct circulation with the outletsand in direct circulation with the fan chamber through the otherchannel.

Dated at the cit "of Toronto, in the county of York, an Province ofOntario, Dominion of Canada, this 15th day of June, 1926.

GEORGE T. HOUGHTBY.

